Ambulance Chaser
by xx p i n k e h xx
Summary: Iris spends her sentence thinking of only one thing -- Feenie, her Feenie. Once she is released, however, she goes back to normal life; but can things be the same? T&T spoilers, Phoenix/Iris. Based on "Ambulance Chaser" by Search the City.


**• Ambulance Chaser •  
**

CHAPTER ONE

"Oh… Hello, Fee…Mr. Wright. You haven't…visited me in a while."

"Yeah…sorry. They told you your sentence yesterday, right?"

"…yes. They did."

"Ah… So, what's the damage?"

"…? O-oh, yes… Two years."

"…two years…that's a long time."

"…yes."

He turned his head away for a moment, leaving her to stare at the side of his face sadly. Two years _was_ a long time. Two years of seeing the same bleak gray walls of the detention center, never being able to leave, never being able to go home. Only able to see your loved ones a couple house a day – if they even showed. So far only Feenie – her Feenie – sometimes accompanied by Mystic Maya, had come to see her. How could she go two years without seeing Sister Bikini? How could the aging woman cope without her help? She hoped her back wasn't giving her too much trouble…

"It'll be alright," Iris tried to reassure the defense attorney. She slowly set her palm against the glass that separated them. Phoenix Wright looked back toward her, his eyes lingering on her hand. "It's a much less serious charge than murder," she added quietly, a shy smile playing on her lips. "I could have been here for six years, if it weren't for you."

Iris' mind found itself lingering on the trial, just a month ago. Feenie had defended her brilliantly, she thought. Though, she felt so much remorse for Mr. Armando, after hearing his whole truth from the defendant's seat. In his own trial, he'd been found guilty for murder after confessing and was sentenced to nine years. Iris felt so sorry for him. He's lost everything he cared about, yet still lived on. She admired his strength. The only thing she lived for now…was sitting right in front of her.

Phoenix grinned hesitantly back at her. She understood his hesitance; after harboring a betrayal brought by her twin sister six years ago, only to recently find out it was somewhat real after all was…well, she could only imagine how confusing it must be for him. Doubt must still cloud his mind. All she could do was to wait until the wound healed…if it ever did. Iris didn't want to think about what would happen if it didn't; thought, deep down, she wouldn't blame him. It was her who lied to him, anyway…

Though, one beam of light found it's way into that dark world of doubt and uncertainty. From the moment he said he always believed in her, she knew she wasn't entirely lost.

The conversation between them went slowly from that point. Iris had very little to report, so Phoenix did most of the talking; business at Wright & Co. Law Offices was going smoothly, even though he didn't have a case at the moment, he had to admit. Iris giggled at that. Continuing, he said Maya was dividing her time between her assistance to the offices and her duties at the Kurain village; she was now officially Master, now that her mother, Misty Fey, was dead. Because of this, however, Mystic Maya was visiting Hazakura Temple more, to try and strengthen her spiritual power. She'd bee talking with Sister Bikini, and she misses you, Phoenix added with a small chuckle. Iris missed his laugh so much…

Phoenix reported that Bikini was complaining about her back some more, but occasionally had Pearl to help her with the chores when she drops by to visit. Through the list of current events, Iris couldn't help but notice how often he talked about Maya – "Maya was starting to catch a cold from being up in the mountains so much", "Maya burned her hand making noodles the other day and won't stop complaining" – and she couldn't help but feel a small but strong rush of – was that _jealousy_? Iris scolded herself mentally for feeling that way; what they had – Phoenix and her – was over, six years gone, of course he would move on with his life, love other people… It didn't matter that Iris found herself unable to as well.

After Phoenix was done talking, he grinned at Iris, who was forcing a smile by that point. She faked a laugh. "Sounds fun. I must be missing a lot," she said, as Feenie was obviously waiting for some comment. It was weird, even after all these years and hurt, she still knew what he wanted. However, at her words, his smile faltered. Iris felt puzzled; what had she said now? Did she not have the response he was looking for? Or was her smile not as convincing as she'd hoped? Phoenix bowed his head, scratching his scalp with one hand.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, much to Iris' surprise. "It must be hard. Knowing that you're going to miss two years of life, locked up in here." He, too, set his hand against the glass between them. Iris could feel her heart ache. Feenie was sad because of her – sad _for_ her. Knowing he cared that much for her, still, brought tears to her eyes. She leaned toward the glass a little as she tried to calm herself. "I should never have come," Phoenix muttered, glaring at the table.

"No!" Iris near-shouted at once before she could stop herself. She winced at the volume of her own voice. Phoenix looked up instantly, a shocked expression on his face, in his blue eyes. She leaned toward him, the man agonizing over her captivity. She pressed both of her hands to the glass window. "No… I'm glad you came. I…" Her voice trailed away. What was she going to say? "Please don't leave"? How would he take that? What would he think of her then? Some stupid girl unable to let go of the past? Or what? "I don't mind it," she whispered quickly. She didn't want him to leave, though, even though she didn't say it. She didn't know when he was going to visit again. The thought of him, leaving her alone to live through her sentence, with only this visit left to her to keep her sanity, was much more terrifying than it should have been.

Phoenix looked confused, but nodded slowly, and straightened up. Iris dropped her hands back onto her lap. It was quiet between the two for a long time – not a tense silence, just a pause, both staring into the other's face, looking into the eyes of the person they'd once loved – before Phoenix glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "Visiting hours are almost over… I should be going." There was no relief in his tone, which made Iris believe that he found little to no happiness in leaving. Her spirits lifted, only to feel her heart plummet. He was leaving. Who knew when he was going to visit next – if he even did at all?

The defense attorney stood and turned around. The question "when will you be back" was burning Iris' tongue away like acid. Phoenix paused in the motion of pushing his chair back up to the table, staring down at Iris, his eyebrows slightly raised. "I'll come back," he said as if he could read her mind. Maybe it was obvious on her face. She could feel her cheeks warm at that thought. Phoenix seemed to have just then realized what he'd said, and his face flushed with color also. Awkwardly avoiding her eye, he rubbed his slowly turning-red neck. "Um." he stuttered, "I… It was nice seeing you. I…I'll visit again…sometime…"

With that, the great Phoenix Wright turned towards the door and opened it, stealing one last glance at Iris as he hesitated in the doorframe, then left the room, leaving Iris to immediately await his return – no matter how distant in the future it might be.


End file.
